Earthquake swarm strikes Lone Pine area

October 2, 2009 12:00:00 AM PDT

LONE PINE, Calif. --

Two earthquakes registering 4.7 and 4.9 struck near Lone Pine at 6:09 and 6:10 p.m. Friday. They were reportedly part of a "swarm" of quakes the area had been experiencing Friday, according to reports from local residents.A report from a worker at the Comfort Inn hotel in Lone Pine said the area has had at least four earthquakes Friday afternoon. The first one reportedly came as a sharp jolt, followed by rolling motion. Several more quakes followed the first.

The manager of Best Western Frontier Motel in Lone Pine said there was much rumbling in the area.

The earthquakes struck approximately 17 miles southeast of Lone Pine in the Owens Valley, about 180 miles north of Los Angeles.

According to the Associated Press, the automated seismic network operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and other institutions reports the 5.2 quake was preceded by a 4.7 and a 4.9 between 6:09 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. A 5.0-magnitude quake struck the same area Wednesday, and aftershocks have been frequent.